UX Principles for Improved Website Design

The World Wide Web is an ever-changing environment that connects every user to information and to one another. With advancements in machine learning, proliferation of smartphones and mobile websites, and an increase in data, the user experience (UX) has become a focal point for web design. What was considered high-end and trendy design in 2000 or 2010 no longer adheres to present day. In order to create functional, beautiful, and most importantly, user-friendly websites, you need to include these following UX principles for improved web design:

Creative—Not Offensive—Design

In the past, flashing signs, bright colors, and flagrant design was seen as attention grabbing and powerful. Those days are long gone. No one wants to be met with blaring fonts, flickering backgrounds, and noise. Furthermore, users don’t want to be confused when they enter your website. The most memorable website design is those that provide information and answers without overloading the user. In other words, think of your website as a commercial—everything should work in a way that delivers a message without being too overbearing.

All the elements of web design, such as color, font, layout, graphics, and interactive elements, should merge together in such a way that the user experience is enjoyable and hassle-free. On a similar note, you should aim to balance creativity with commonality. Certain elements can add flair, but when it comes to navigational links, buttons, and so on, think about traditional layout first before placing them somewhere that could cause confusion.

Diversity

Everyone has a target audience, but demographics are so diversified that you might have to expand your view of the “ideal customer” slightly. Depending on where you are located and who you are targeting, the chances of people with varying beliefs, ethnicities, and languages are going to be visiting your site. This means that you need to consider how to make your web content available to everyone within the target audience, such as those with handicaps, generational differences, and so on.

Also, once you have imagined the target audience and start reaching out to them, don’t forget to receive feedback from them. Many consumers are eager to provide comments on your service, and such feedback can be incredibly valuable when trying to revamp website UX/UI.

Clarity and Simplicity

Smartphones and mobile sites have made internet data more accessible than ever. People not only expect answers fast, they want the information to be clear and concise. Long chunks of content are no longer ideal, because most people won’t take the time to read through all the information to find the answer they’re looking for. No, instead most users will scan the information, using things like headers, infographics, and listen to short video clips to obtain the answer they’re searching for.

Therefore, both design and content should be clear and consistent. Users should be able to comfortably digest the information on the site, navigate easily, and have a broad range of media to make their experience a satisfying one. Remember, you are designing for humans, so the more transparent your business appears, the better.

Final Thoughts

When it comes down to improving UX, keep in mind the usefulness of the content, the accessibility and usability of the website and its contents, as well as the credibility. Thus, designers should consider how approachable the content they are creating is to the diverse members of the target audience. Doing so ensures that your website will perform well and continuously deliver optimized user experience to whomever visits.